General
Mak Halls Renovation Kicks Off with Lumumba
Makerere University Management led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe on Tuesday 27th June 2023 handed over the Lumumba Hall site to National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), for commencement of renovation works. The works to be undertaken over a period of twelve months are fully funded by the Government of Uganda at a cost of UGX9billion. NEC is a State-owned Corporation and is the commercial arm of the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs.
Addressing the gathering, the Prof. Nawangwe appreciated the Government of Uganda for availing all resources required to undertake the project. In the same breath, he paid tribute to the United States Government for donating the Hall of Residence as an Independence gift to Uganda.
“Lumumba is the biggest and newest Hall of Residence we have. There have been no major renovations since it was constructed and this overhaul is meant to bring it back to life” added the Vice Chancellor. Renovation of Halls of Residence has been of utmost importance to the University Leadership and will begin with Lumumba Hall, followed by Mary Stuart Hall as funds are made available.
Lumumba Hall was built in the late 1960s and officially opened in 1971. It was named after Patrice Lumumba, a freedom fighter and the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Congo (currently the Democratic Republic of Congo). The Hall has the capacity to accommodate approximately 752 students.
The Acting Director, Estates and Works Directorate (EWD) Eng. Darius Muwanguzi noted that Lumumba’s structure is still sound and the overhaul is intended to restore the plumbing and electrical systems, as well as the flooring, window fittings and other amenities.
Receiving the site on behalf of the contractor, the General Manager NEC Construction Works and Engineering Limited, Eng. Brian Buhanda expressed delight at the firm being awarded another project at Makerere University, following the Perimeter Wall Fence Completion contract. He expressed the contractor’s readiness to restore Lumumba to its original quality or better, given the advancements made with production of materials since the 1971 when the Hall officially opened its doors.
Other Members of Management present at the handover included the Dean of Students-Mrs. Winifred Kabumbuli and the Manager Procurement and Disposal-Mr. Paul Agaba. Also present were the Chief Security Officer-ACP Omara Cyrus Samson, Officials from the Office of the Vice Chancellor and the Media.
Business & Management
PIM Centre Holds 9th Steering Committee Meeting, Set to Benefit from World Bank Support
The Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University today, October 10th, 2025, held its 9th Steering Committee Meeting to review progress made in the first quarter of the financial year and plan for the months ahead.
The meeting was chaired by Ms. Getrude Basiima, who represented Mr. Hannington Ashaba, Director Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Ms. Basiima commended the Centre for its continued commitment to strengthening public investment management capacity across government institutions.
In her remarks, Ms. Basiima applauded the Centre for successfully hosting the Public Investment Management Conference held in August at Makerere University. The conference attracted key policymakers, development partners, and academics who deliberated on how to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and impact of public investments in Uganda.
She further shared exciting news that the Government of Uganda has secured funding from the World Bank to support the public investment management function. The PIM Centre, she announced, will be among the key beneficiaries of these funds — receiving support for the construction and acquisition of a permanent home to enhance its institutional sustainability and training capacity.
Reviewing the Centre’s quarterly performance, Ms. Basiima congratulated the team for successfully conducting three specialized trainings in the first quarter, reaching officials from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. These trainings continue to strengthen the technical competencies required for effective project preparation, appraisal, and implementation in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan.
She encouraged the Centre to integrate climate change considerations into its future training programmes, noting that sustainable public investment must now account for environmental resilience and climate adaptation.
The centre team presented the proposed structure/ organogram, the financial performance of 2024/2025, research areas for 2025/2026 and the strategic plan for 2025 – 2030.
The Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the PIM Centre’s vision of becoming a regional leader in building capacity for efficient, transparent, and sustainable public investment management.
A significant development unfolded at Makerere University during a strategic, hour-long meeting in the vice chancellor’s boardroom on 7th October 2025, marking a deepening bond with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. The primary goal was to move beyond existing collaborations and formalize a new Double Doctorate (PhD) program. Prof. Sarah Saali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, set the tone by emphasizing that institutional partnerships are crucial to Makerere University, which she proudly called the leading research and most collaborative university in the world.
The discussion promptly formed the core structure of the program: a four-year PhD (or three if the master’s was research-based), with supervision duties split 50-50% between the two institutions. A key feature is the mobility requirement, stipulating that PhD candidates would spend a total of six months in the Netherlands, potentially divided into two three-month periods. Crucially, the University of Groningen confirmed there would be no teaching requirement during this stay, allowing students full access to focus on their research. A major financial hurdle was overcome with the adoption of a fee-waiver policy; Makerere would waive tuition for incoming Groningen candidates, and Groningen would reciprocate for Makerere‘s students, significantly boosting the program’s financial viability.
However, the critical issue of the stipend remained. Dr. Anita Veltmaat explained that to meet the required living standard of approximately €1,875 per month in Groningen, the incoming candidate must secure a partial external scholarship of around €250 per month. The positive news is that if the candidate secures this minimum scholarship, the University of Groningen is prepared to top up the amount to the full living standard for the six months the student spends in the Netherlands. It was noted that this initial financial hurdle might be simplified for Makerere students, as many are already staff members receiving a salary, which could help cover the required €250.
The path forward was clear: it was to complete the agreement template guided by the setup committee from both institutions. The plan culminated in scheduling an online follow-up meeting for Tuesday, November 11th, to review the first revision of the agreement, capping a highly constructive discussion that solidified the two universities’ shared future in graduate education.
Makerere University was represented by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academics Affairs; Dr. Ruth Nsibirano, Head of the Department of Gender Studies; Dr. Patricia Ndugga, School of Statistics; Dr. Stella Achen and Dr. Joseph Watuleke, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning; Agatha Ainemukama, School of Engineering; Racheal Nuwagaba, School of Psychology; Awel Uwihanganye, Martine Rugamba, and Hawa Ndagire from the Advancement Office; and Muhammad Kiggundu from the Institute of Gender and Development Studies.
The University of Groningen was represented by Dr. Dinie Bouwman, Senior Policy Advisor, Internationalization and Quality Assurance; Dr. Anita Veltmaat, Faculty of Social Behavior and Social Sciences, Department of International Studies, involved in mentorship programs for women; and Dr. Alette Arendshorst, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, working on graduation/collaboration for students/staff.
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